abandoned

to yield (oneself) without restraint or moderation; give (oneself) over to natural impulses, usually without self-control: to abandon oneself to grief.

Law. to cast away, leave, or desert, as property or a child.

Insurance. to relinquish (insured property) to the underwriter in case of partial loss, thus enabling the insured to claim a total loss.

Obsolete. to banish.

Origin:
1325–75; Middle English abando(u)nen < Middle French abandoner for Old French (mettre) a bandon (put) under (someone's) jurisdiction, equivalent to a at, to (< Latin ad; see ad-) + bandon < Germanic *band; see bond¹

Related forms

a·ban·don·a·ble, adjective

a·ban·don·er, noun

a·ban·don·ment, noun

non·a·ban·don·ment, noun

un·a·ban·don·ing, adjective

Synonyms
1. See desert². 2. Abandon, relinquish, renounce mean to give up all concern in something. Abandon means to give up or discontinue any further interest in something because of discouragement, weariness, distaste, or the like: to abandon one's efforts. Relinquish implies being or feeling compelled to give up something one would prefer to keep: to relinquish a long-cherished desire. Renounce implies making (and perhaps formally stating) a voluntary decision to give something up: to renounce worldly pleasures. 3. yield, surrender, resign, waive, abdicate.

Antonyms
1. keep. 2. continue; begin, start. 3. retain.

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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Link To Abandoned

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World English Dictionary

abandon (əˈbændən)

—vb
1.	to forsake completely; desert; leave behind: to abandon a baby; drivers had to abandon their cars
2.	abandon ship the order given to the crew of a ship that is about to sink to take to the lifeboats
3.	to give up completely: to abandon a habit; to abandon hope
4.	to yield control of or concern in; relinquish: to abandon office
5.	to give up (something begun) before completion: to abandon a job; the game was abandoned
6.	to surrender (oneself) to emotion without restraint
7.	to give (insured property that has suffered partial loss or damage) to the insurers in order that a claim for a total loss may be made

—n
8.	freedom from inhibitions, restraint, concern, or worry: she danced with abandon

[C14: abandounen (vb), from Old French, from a bandon under one's control, in one's power, from a at, to + bandon control, power]

a'bandonment

—n

abandoned (əˈbændənd)

—*adj*
1.	deserted: an abandoned windmill
2.	forsaken: an abandoned child
3.	unrestrained; uninhibited: wild, abandoned dancing
4.	depraved; profligate

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Etymonline

Word Origin & History

abandon

late 14c., "to subjugate, subdue," from O.Fr. abandoner "surrender," from à "at, to" + bandon "power, jurisdiction," in phrase mettre à bandon "to give up to a public ban," from L. bannum, "proclamation," from a Frankish word related to ban (v.). Etymologically,

the word carries a sense of "put someone under someone else's control." Meaning "to give up absolutely" is from late 14c. Related: Abandoned; abandoning. The noun sense of "letting loose, surrender to natural impulses" (1822) is from Fr. abandon.

Example sentences

Dozens of reactor construction projects abandoned with ratepayers left to pick

up the tab.

They then looked to see whether there was anything in the abandoned hives that

was not found elsewhere.

For many years past he has nearly abandoned his rhymes.

While investigating an abandoned munitions depot, they found it stuffed with

police records.

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"As to you, sir, treacherous to private friendship (for so you have been to me, and that in the day of danger) and a hypocrite in public life, the world will be puzzled to decide whether you are an apostate or an imposter, whether you have abandoned good principles or whether you ever had any."

-Thomas Paine